Improved self-fastening buckle



@geiten tets atwt @fitta l Letters Patent No. 78,491, dated June 2,1868.

IMPROVED SELF-FASTENING BlIGKLE.

@in Stlnhnlt furent in in ilgrst hittrs @anni zum mating putt tt tigesmite.

TO ALL WHOM I'I' MAY CONCERN:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. SPENCER, of vthe city of Pittsburg, inthe county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented n newland improved SelFastening Buckle, with loops attached; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andlto theletters of reference marked thereon, and making part ofthisspeciication, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of my buckle.. Figure2, a centralsection. Figure 3, a view of the buckle with the strap inplace, before being drawn tight; and Figure 4, the same after beingdrawn up. I The. nature of my invention consists in constructing abuckle in such a manner'tbat no sewing, riveting, or punching of holesin the leather to which it is fastenedv is necessary, and in making itof such a. shape that the ends form loops, which euablelme todispe'nsewith-the leather .loops now used, which are sewed on to the strap withthe buckle.' l

To enable others skilled in thc nrt to make and use my invention, I willproceed t'o describe its construction und operation. i i v My buckleconsists of the parallel sides A A, and the ends B13. 'Ihese ends areformed bythe two bars c c, which make the loop. The bars are not overeach other, but ure so placed that the buckle is longer-von the upperside than on thelower side. They' are connected together and to thesides by the short pieces of metal which form the sides ofthe loops.'Ihe reason for making the buckle longer on the upper side is to securegreater facility in casting. To the bar D, which is placed in the middleof the buckle, the tongue E is attaIWKI-w* This tongue is the same as inthe common buckle The two bars, F and G, placed back of the bar D, formthe seltfastening part of thc buckle. 'Ihis buckle can be cust in onepiece, the tongue being put on as iu the ordinary buckle. v 7 Operation.

ine manner of attaching my buckle to the strap, and thevuse of theloops, is clearly illustrated in figs. 2, 3, :11u14 of thedrawings. Iniig. 2 the redlines show the course'thc strap takes. The end to beattached is shared thin. The thin end of the strap is first passedthrough the back loop, and down between the bars D and F, then upbetween the bars F and'G. It. is then bent back 'over the bnrG, the endjust reaching the loop. The free end is then drawn back, and through thering or other part of the harness with which the strap is to beconnected, and on being brought buck, passes through the under side ofthe brink loop, I, then through the ring or othertbnekle, n'nd b'aek enitself', and again through the loop H, where it is securedby thetongue,-tl1c loose end passingngain under the back loop. Fig. 3 showsthe course of" the strap, the strap beingleft loose und in loops, sothat its position before being tightened mnylbe clearly se'cn. Fig. 4shows thesamc after the strap has been dran-n tight.. i 1 l The mannerof using the buckle here illustrated is one of frequgut occurrence, nsinthe hold-buck and side-straps of common harnesses, in which position,by using my buckle, the sewing on of the buckles and loops may be saved;i

My buckle is equally applicable in all other places where buckles nre uscd,`and is very convenient and safe, P `as any one can attach it in amoment, und the greater the strain brought to bear on the strap,theftighter the b uckle holds the same. Y

What I claim as my invention in' buckles, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

Claim. A buckle provided at each end -with two transverse bars, e e,arranged as described, for facilitating the casting process,inicombination with transverse bars F und G, as and for the purpose setforth.

WILLIAM W. SPENCER.

Witnesses FnANeisiL. CLARK, J. DARRAHWALL.

